Free tool
Sit and reach test
The sit and reach test measures how far you can reach forward past your feet while sitting with straight legs. Do the test, enter your best reach in centimetres with your age and sex, and the tool shows your rating band from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology norms. It is a general fitness screen, not a diagnosis.
Enter your best of two reaches.
| Age (female) | Excellent | Very good | Good | Fair |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 41+ | 37 | 32 | 28 |
| 30-39 | 41+ | 36 | 31 | 27 |
| 40-49 | 38+ | 34 | 29 | 25 |
| 50-59 | 39+ | 33 | 29 | 25 |
| 60-69 | 35+ | 31 | 26 | 23 |
Norms: Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. The Canadian Physical Activity, Fitness & Lifestyle Approach: CSEP-Health & Fitness Program's Health-Related Appraisal and Counseling. 3rd ed. Ottawa: CSEP, 2003. Reproduced as Table 4-15, Fitness Categories by Age Groups for Trunk Forward Flexion Using a Sit-and-Reach Box (cm), LSU Health Sciences Center Wellness.. Source table. Protocol: Sit-and-reach box with the zero point set at 26 cm (the feet rest against the box at the 26 cm mark). For a box with the zero point at 23 cm, subtract 3 cm from each value.
How does the sit and reach test work?
The test is a simple flexibility test of the back of the legs and the lower back. You sit on the floor with your legs straight and the soles of your feet flat against a sit-and-reach box, then slide your hands forward along a ruler as far as you can. The score is the distance your fingertips reach, in centimetres.
The rating bands in this tool come from The Canadian Physical Activity, Fitness & Lifestyle Approach (Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology, 3rd edition, 2003). Those norms use a box with the zero point at 26 cm, which means your feet rest at the 26 cm mark. If your box puts the feet at 23 cm, subtract 3 cm from the table values before comparing.
How do you do the test?
- Warm up for a few minutes with easy walking and a couple of gentle hamstring stretches.
- Sit with shoes off, legs straight, feet hip-width apart and flat against the box.
- Place one hand on top of the other, fingertips level.
- Breathe out and slide your hands slowly forward along the ruler, keeping the knees straight. No bouncing.
- Hold the furthest point for about two seconds and note the number.
- Rest, repeat once, and use the better of the two tries.
How do you read the result?
Enter your reach, age and sex. The tool shows one of five published bands: excellent, very good, good, fair or needs improvement. The norms cover adults from 20 to 69 years, so results outside that age range are not rated.
A lower band is simply a starting point. Many people find the number moves with regular stretching over a few months. The flexibility exercises routine and the guide to yoga for flexibility are good places to begin, and a gentle seated forward bend done most days uses the same shape as the test.
What are the limits?
This is a general fitness screen, not a medical test. Arm, leg and torso length all shift the score, and a single number says nothing about your hips, shoulders or spine as a whole. The bands are population norms from Canada and may not describe every group well.
Do not force the reach. Stop if you feel sharp pain, tingling or numbness down the leg, and see a doctor or physio before testing if you have back pain, sciatica or a recent injury.
Questions
Can you do the sit and reach test without a box?
Yes, with care. Sit with your feet flat against a sturdy step or wall-backed box, lay a tape measure on top with the 26 cm mark lined up with the soles of your feet, and read where your fingertips stop. A home setup is less exact than a lab box, so compare yourself mainly with your own earlier scores.
Which muscles does the sit and reach test measure?
It mostly reflects the flexibility of the hamstrings and lower back, and to a lesser extent the calves. Arm and leg length also affect the score, which is one reason the result is a general screen rather than a full flexibility assessment.
How often is it worth repeating the flexibility test?
Every four to eight weeks is plenty. Test at the same time of day, after the same light warm-up and on the same setup, so changes in your score reflect your flexibility rather than the conditions.